Tampopo – Bristol

Beth was about to embark on a four-month adventure in Asia, so what better way to say goodbye than with a meal at Tampopo?

Serving freshly made food inspired by authentic east-Asian cuisine, Tampopo offers something for everyone, and it is one of my favourite places to eat. Sadly, at the time of writing this, I found out that the Bristol restaurant had closed as of June 28. However, the ones in Manchester are still around and they are definitely worth checking out if you're in the city.

We were in the mood for cocktails. The sun was shining (albeit through a glass ceiling) and it was Friday. The Singapore Sling was the waitress' recommendation and a good one it was. Service was fast and we sipped on our gin while deciding on what food to order.

I'll never stop going on about Vietnamese rice paper rolls – also known as summer rolls, crystal rolls or goi cuon.  They are entirely underrated for such a healthy, delicious snack or starter. These were served with a peanut sauce which had just the right amount of spice and salt. 

We also shared some Japanese pork gyozas with soy sauce which were warm and crispy and delicious. I love east Asian starters and could eat them as my main meal as I did so in Bar Soba, but there was ramen to be devoured...

This was a generous bowl of ramen, let me just say that. The chicken was chargrilled and juicy and the pineapple sticks (I think that's what they were) made for a fruity addition to an otherwise traditional bowl of ramen (minus the boiled egg – only down side). I had a good crack at eating this but didn't manage to finish the whole bowl, unfortunately.

Beth ordered the Vietamese style chicken salad (Ga Xe Phay), a lighter option with a dressing not dissimilar to the one I had with my summer rolls at The Hanoi Bike Shop. Sweet, salty and citrusy – it reminded me of the salad I had at Pho last year. Fresh and tasty for a summer day.

I'm sad that Bristol's Tampopo is no longer, but trust me when I say it's a restaurant worth visiting if you're ever in Manchester. With a lot more to choose from and dishes from all over east Asia, Tampopo beats Wagamamas hands down every time for me. Find out more here.